Safety bed slat bracket

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to safety bed slat brackets for engagement with the ends of bed slats supported upon metal or wooden side rails of a bed frame, the brackets having an adjustable feature to accommodate the varying lengths of bed slats between the upstanding vertical legs of the side rails upon which the slats are at rest. The brackets are provided with resilient flexible wing portions for positive engagement either with the side rail vertical legs or with the ends of the bed slats to substantially retard movement longitudinally of the side rails. Although the brackets are adapted for use with conventional wooden bed slats, they can be easily adapted to varying shapes of such bed slats.

United States Patent Weinhart [is] I 3,657,748

[ 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] SAFETY BED SLAT BRACKET 72] Inventor: Maui-lee Welnhert, 18620 Ardmore,

Detroit, Mich. 48235 221 Filed: Jan. 15,1971

[2]] Appl. No.: 106,687

[52] 11.8. CI. ..5/238, 5/305 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47c 23/06 [58] Field oISearch ..5/236, 237, 238, 207, 305

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS.

288,668 11/1883 McGale ..5/305 X Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Calvert Attorney-Benjamin W. Colman [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to safety bed slat brackets for engagement with the ends of bed slats supported upon metal or wooden side rails of a bed frame; the brackets having anadjustable feature to accommodate the varying lengths of bed slats between'the' upstanding vertical legs of the side rails upon which the slats are at rest. The brackets are provided with resilient flexible wing portions for positive engagement either with the side rail vertical legs or with the ends of the bed slats to substantially retard movement longitudinally of the side rails. Although the brackets are adapted for use with conven tional' wooden bed slats, they canibe easily adapted to varying shapes of such bed slats.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPR 25 I972 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. MAURICE WEINHART ATTORNEY SAFETY BED SLATBR-ACKET Bed furniture is generally made with a headboard, a foot board, and metal side rails secured thereto, forming a bed frame for supporting a box spring and a mattress thereon. The two end board members are secured in spaced relationship by a pair of metal or wooden side rails, forming a rectangular frame. The side rails are generally in the form of an angle having an upstanding vertical leg and an inwardly directed horizontal leg, each end of the side rail having attached thereto, in any suitable manner, a fitting adapted to removably engage the end members, i.e., the headboard and the footboard. Alternatively, the bed frame can be made entirely of metal elements comprising an angled header, foot member, and the two side rails to which reference has been made above.

A plurality of bed slats, usually four or three in number but not limited to such numbers, are normally arranged transversely of the frame by placing them in spaced apart relationship, longitudinally of the bed frame, upon the horizontal inwardly directed legs of the opposed side rails. The box spring is then set thereon, the mattress being positioned upon the box springs. The length of the bed slats is substantially the free open distance between the upstanding legs of the side rails. Normally the slats are from a quarter to one-half inch in length less than this free distance, but they may be slightly shorter so long as they rest substantially upon the horizontal side rail legs. The slats are usually positioned medially and adjacent but spaced slightly from the longitudinal extremities of the side rails, and generally at distances equal from each other, so that the box spring and mattress will be adequately supported thereon. Bed slats generally have a tendency, under dynamic and static loading thereon, in time, to shift and move into an angular attitude and eventually fall from the bed frame to the floor, causing the box spring and mattress also to drop, with consequent surprise, shock, embarrassment and, in some instances, injury to the person or persons resting upon the bed.

These wooden bed slats are generally provided to furniture stores by specialty suppliers as a separate item from the bed furniture itself, in extra full or oversized lengths which the furniture store is then obliged to cut to suitable length for use with each bed frame when the bed set is sold. In some instances, the oversized length bed slats are simply furnished to the householder for his cutting to properlength when he erects the bed furniture. Because each bed manufacturer positions side rail fitting slots in the headboard and footboard at slight variations from each other for each size of bed, the side rails will be spaced apart at varying distances for the same size bed and thus no uniform length of bed slat can be provided ahead of time. Such dimension varies according to the design and plan of the bed manufacturer, who makes his own determination-of such spacing, which may vary from bed to bed from as little as one-sixteenth inch to as much as 1 inch or more.

Inasmuch as such variation is present in the width of the bed frame, bed slats pre-cut to an arbitrary standard length for a twin size, three-quarter size, full or queen size bed will of course vary in their support for the box spring and mattress. If the slats are pre-cut too short, they will rest only upon a smaller portion of each horizontal leg of the opposed side rail. Unless the bed slats are cut to size quite precisely, they generally have relatively loose fit on the side rails, and any material movement of the bed in time will cause these slats to rotate and slip from the rail or rails and drop to the floor. This is particularly the case when beds are moved about in order that they may be made up.

Another problem is the tendency of side rails to belly or bulge outwardly in their midsections after a period of time under the loads imposed thereon. If the slats are of relatively shorter length than the free open distance between the upstanding legs of the opposed side rails, any appreciable increase in this distance will generally cause at least the middle slat to drop and fall to the floor.

The invention disclosed herein provides for bracket members engaged with the bed slats at their longitudinal ends to make a substantial measure of pressure contact with the vertical legs of the side rails.

It is an object of the invention to provide safety bed slat brackets having means for firmly securing the bed slat upon the side rail and having an adjustable feature whereby substantial contact with the vertical legs of the side rails can be maintained. Another object is to provide a bracket having an adjustable feature with a biasing efiect upon the side rails so that rotation of the bed slats upon the horizontal legs of the side rails is virtually eliminated. Still another object is to provide such brackets having a relatively simple construction, which can be easily fabricated of metal or plastic materials at substantially low cost and thus made readily available for use by homeowners with bed slats now in use.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating by way of example preferred forms of the invention. Reference is here made to the drawing annexed hereto and forming an integral part of this specification, in which FIG. 1 isa perspective view of a bed frame with bed slats positioned across the frame and having brackets at their ends made according to the invention herein disclosed.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a bed slat end with the safety bracket attached.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2, showing a modified bracket made of plastic material, the laterally extending wings being curved convexly with respect to the cradle member.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bed slat and attached bracket resting on a side rail, showing the lateral wing portions of the bracket concavely curved with respect to the cradle member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified bracket having stiffening reinforcing ribs in the plate member portion.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views on a reduced scale of bed slat brackets which limit rotative moment of the bed slats.

As illustrated in the several views of the drawing, and particularly in FIG. 1, a bed frame 10 comprises a headboard 12, a footboard 14, side rails 16 having fittings secured thereto at each longitudinal end for engagement with the headboard and footboard, a box spring 20 and a mattress 22 supported upon wooden bed slats 24 having the safety brackets 26 secured at each end thereof.

The metal side rail 16, in the form of an angle, comprises a vertical upstanding leg 30, which may be of varying height, and an integrally formed laterally inwardly directed horizontal leg 34, generally of uniform width. The metal end fittings 18 are of conventional form and construction, adapted to be removably secured to the headboard and footboard l2 and 14 respectively, in conventional manner.

The wooden bed slat 24, of currently conventional configuration, has a pair of parallel upper and lower flat sides 23,23 terminating a lateral rounded edges 25,25, generally as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6 of the drawing. The bed slat 24 is of a length substantially equal to or less than the free open distance between the upstanding vertical legs 30 of the opposed side rails 16. However, such lengths may vary slightly so that the over-all length of a bed slat can be as much as from one-fourth to one-half inch or more shorter than the free distance between the legs 30 of the side rails.

The safety bed slat bracket 26 of this invention is made as an integral unit and comprises a cradle member 36 having lateral upstanding parallel side wings 38,38 with an intermediate connecting web 40 upon which one flat side 23 of the bed slat rests. The side wings 38 are designed to fit closely adjacent the rounded edges 25,25 of the bed slat, so that when the bed slat end is disposed in the cradle member 36, the bracket fits fairly snugly thereon. The height of the cradle side wings 38,38 is preferably less than the thickness of the slat member 24 when fully positioned in the cradle member 36 so that the box spring, when imposed upon the bed slats, will not engage the upper edges of the cradle side wings. Integrally connected to the web 40 adjacent one end of the side wings 38,38 is the upstanding plate member 42 having a height, in the forms of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, slightly less than the height of the side rail vertical leg 30 when the bracket 26 is at rest upon the horizontal leg 34. In the forms of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, 4 and 5, the bed slat bracket plate member 42 has a height substantially equal to or slightly less than that of the bed slat thickness when cradled between the wings 38,38. The safety bed slat bracket 26, in any of its forms is integrally formed of a single piece of metal or can be molded of a suitable plastic material as an .integral unit.

As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upstanding plate member 42 is provided with aflat planar portion 44 sub-,

stantiallycentral and in register .with the cradle member web 40 and laterally extending portions 46,46 on each side thereof.

' Formed from the planar portion 44, in the plane of the bed slat 24 are the resilient flexible inwardly directed wings 48,48 adapted to bear against the bed slat end 50.

The upper and lateral portions 46,46 of the upstanding plate 42 lie in a common plane and substantially outwardly of the wings 48,48. These wings project inwardly of the plane of the plate member generally from about one-fourth inch to about one-half inch, prior-to positioning the bed slat with attached brackets onto the side rails of the bed frame. It will be noted, particularly with reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing, that though the over-all length of the bed slat may be somewhat less than the free distance between the vertical legs of the opposed side rails, the longitudinal extension provided by the inwardly directed wings 48,48 provides an infinitely variable flexible resilient engagement of the plate member 42 with the side rails. Thus, when the bed slats are in position upon the horizontal legs 34 of the opposed side rails, with the wings 48,48 in pressure bearing biasing engagement with the ends 50 of the bed slat, and under the load of a box spring, mattress and a person or persons lying thereon, longitudinal or rotative movement of the bed slat is substantially eliminated by virtue of the biasing engagement of the plate member 42 and the laterally extending portions 46,46.

As illustrated particularly in FIG. 3, the bed slat bracket 26 can be made of a plastic material. It is here shown without the upper plate member portions. The medial portion 44 of the plate member and the laterally extending side wings 52,52 are here shown as no higher than the top side 23 of the bed slat, and perform theirbiasing pressure engaging function against the vertical side rail leg 30. Another function performed by these latter elements is to increase the radial length of the bed slat in rotative movement whereby such rotative movement is materially and significantly resisted by the distal edges of the wings 52,52. The same function is also performed by the distal edges 54,54 of the lateral portions 46,46, of the brackets illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7.

- A further modification of the bracket 26 is illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the plate member 42 with its lateral wings 52,52 are corrugated or ribbed for stiffening reinforcement of these elements. Such corrugations can also be embodied in the plate member and wings of brackets 26 shown in FIGS. 3, and 6.

The bed slat bracket modification particularly illustrated in FIG. 4 embodies a plate member 42 having laterally extending wings 52a52a curved concavely with respect to the cradle member 36. In this instance, medial portions of these wings make pressure bearing contact with the inner surface of the vertical side rail leg 30, the plate member portion 44 being positioned closely adjacent the bed slat distal end 50.

In operation, the safety bed slat brackets 26 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are applied and used in the following manner. Each end of a bed slat 24 is secured in the cradle member 36 of a bracket 26 with the distal end 50 of the slat substantially bearing against the inwardly directed wings 48,48 of the upstanding plate member 42. The bracket fitted bed slat is then positioned between the vertical legs 30 of the two opposed side rails of the bed frame, with the wings 48,48 bearing firmly upon the slat end 50. The plate member 42 makes positive engaging contactwith the vertical legs 30,30 of the opposed side rails. The bed slat 24 may be of a length such that the wings 48,48 are bent outwardly substantially to the plane of the upstanding plate 42, and under such circumstances substantial pressure is medial portion of the side rails where outward bulging generally occurs upon dynamic loading of the side rails. In this area, the plate member 42 and the laterally extending wings 52,52, whether convexly or concavely formed, continue to make biasing engagement with the vertical legs 30 of the opposed side rails, and to resist longitudinal or rotative movement thereon. The amount of the engaging pressure exerted by these bracket elements upon the side rail vertical legs is, of course, dependent upon the physical tensile and compressive characteristics of the metal or plastic materials used. These can and should be selected for optimum values.

As noted above, the bed slat brackets of this invention can be integrally formed of a single sheet of metal or molded of a The component elements of the safety bed slat brackets 26,

whether made of metal or plastic material, should'have such physical properties, includinghigh tensile and substantially good compressive strength, as may be required to carry the static and dynamic loads involved and for the purposes described.

Although certain particular embodiments of the invention are herein described for purposes of explanation, further modifications thereof, after study of this specification, will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Reference should be had to the appending claims in determining the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A unitary integrally formed safety bed slat bracket for attachment to each end of a bed slat and for engagement upon an angle-type bed side rail having an exterior vertical upstanding leg and an inwardly directed horizontal leg comprising a cradle member having a web portion adapted to rest upon the horizontal leg of said side rail, and a pair of lateral upstanding side wings adapted to closely engage side edge portions of said bed slat end, a plate member extending substantially vertically upwardly from said web portion at one end thereof, adjacent said bed slat end, and having I a medial portion substantially in register with said cradle member web portion, I and resilient flexible wing portions offset from said plate member to bias said plate member with respect to said said offset plate member wing portions are bent forwardly from said medial portion in a direction away from said cradle member.

5. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient ofi'set plate member wing portions are curved convexly with respect to said cradle member.

6. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient plate member wing portions are curved concavely with respect to said cradle member.

7. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket is formed of metal.

8. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket is formed of a plastic material. 9. The Safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said plate member is provided with stiffening corrugations. 10. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 4, wherein the height of said forwardly bent lateral plate member portions is no greater than the height of said bed slat end when seated in said cradle member. 11. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 9, wherein said corrugations extend horizontally longitudinally of said plate member.

* t I i i 

1. A unitary integrally formed safety bed slat bracket for attachment to each end of a bed slat and for engagement upon an angle-type bed side rail having an exterior vertical upstanding leg and an inwardly directed horizontal leg comprising a cradle member having a web portion adapted to rest upon the horizontal leg of said side rail, and a pair of lateral upstanding side wings adapted to closely engage side edge portions of said bed slat end, a plate member extending substantially vertically upwardly from said web portion at one end thereof, adjacent said bed slat end, and having a medial portion substantially in register with said cradle member web portion, and resilient flexible wing portions off set from said plate member to bias said plate member with respect to said bed slat end and said side rail vertical leg.
 2. The bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said medial portion is provided with said offset wing portions formed therefrom and directed inwardly toward said bed slat end. 3 The bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said plate member is no higher than the upper flat side of said bed slat end when seated in said cradle member.
 4. The bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said offset plate member wing portions are bent forwardly from said medial portion in a direction away from said cradle member.
 5. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient offset plate member wing portions are curved convexly with respect to said cradle member.
 6. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient plate member wing portions are curved concavely with respect to said cradle member.
 7. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket is formed of metal.
 8. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket is formed of a plastic material.
 9. The Safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 1, wherein said plate member is provided with stiffening corrugations.
 10. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 4, wherein the height of said forwardly bent lateral plate member portions is no greater than the height of said bed slat end when seated in said cradle member.
 11. The safety bed slat bracket defined in claim 9, wherein said corrugations extend horizontally longitudinally of said plate member. 